Heddle structure for looms



' April 6, 1937. H. L. THOMPSON HEDDLE STRUCTURE FOR LOOMS Filed Oct. 21, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jwemar frefier/ 1 7/74/27 2 75 April 1937- H. 1.. THOMPSON 2,076,167

HEDDLE STRUCTURE FOR LOOMS Filed Oct. 21, 1955 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 6, 1937 UNITED STATES HEDDLE STRUCTURE FOR LOOMS Herbert L. Thompson, Elgin, 111., assignor to Reynolds Wire 00., Dixon, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application October 21, 1935, Serial No. 45,980

5 Claims.

My present invention relates to heddle structures for looms of the type disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 664,192, filed April 3, 1933.

5 My heddles are intended to be used in a loom or vertical weaving machine, using a rolling shuttle, which rolls on the upper heddle through the warp shed.

In ordinary wire clothweaving machines, the

heddle is a rather frail structure with needle-like members strung on a wooden harness frame.

It is obvious that heddles for a loom of the type under consideration must be of a more sturdy structure, and I have provided heddles which are of entirely different structure and have sufficient strength to stand up under the travel of the shuttle.

It is my object to provide a heddle having a frame, preferably of metal with improved heddle dents mounted in the frame in a novel fashion.

A further object is to provide parts in such a structure, whereby the heddle dents can be removed and replaced with others and in association with proper spacing bars for handling differently spaced warp wires.

Still another object is to provide a novel mechanism for operating the heddles.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my heddle structure for looms, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View through the rear part of a loom equipped with heddles embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a detail, sectional view of a pair of heddle bars taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the portion of the loom illustrating the arrangement of the heddles therein, parts being omitted and parts being broken away.

Figure 4 is a top or plan view of one end of the heddles, parts being broken away, taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a detail, sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 3, illustrating the operating cam for the heddles; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one end of one of the spacer bars for the heddle dents.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown a 55 part of a loom or weaving machine of the kind illustrated in my co-pending application abovereferred to.

The loom has the spaced side frame members 75 with the mechanism A at the top for drawing the woven wire through the machine. The 5- loom has guiding and tensioning mechanism, part only of which is indicated at B in Figure 1. In order to show the general relationship of the parts, the beater is indicated generally at C.

It will be understood that the heddles are mounted and the warp feed is formed below the cloth advancing mechanism A.

The heddles of the pairare substantially alike With minor exceptions.

For convenience, I refer tothe heddles broadly by the reference character D.

The upper and lower heddles have the rectangular frames l0 and "la. Each frame has the side frame members H. The lower heddle has end frame members I2 with a laterally projecting flange I3 at the lower part thereof. The upe per heddle has end frame members [4 with laterally extending flanges l5 near the upper parts thereof.

The frame members l5 of the upper heddle have in their upper surfaces a recess indicated at IS in Figure l and Figure 4, so that the bottom of the recess is ona level with the heddle dents hereinafter referred to, for providing a smooth level path for the shuttle.

It will, of course, be understood that the frames l0 and Ilia may be made of a single casting if desired.

It will be understood that the heddle dents for the frames must provide for the guiding and handling of wires differently spaced for making different weaves of cloth.

I have therefore provided means for detachably mounting the heddle dents in such a way that they may be differently spaced according to the cloth to be produced.

I detachably secure to the inner face of each side frame member H a spacer bar 50, (see Figures 4 and 6) by means of screws 50a (Figure 2) extended through the holes 50b (Figure 6) and into suitable tapped and threaded holes in the. frame members ll. These spacer bars have regularly spaced lugs 5| projecting from their inner faces, and inset in the bars.

The heddle dents are hung on these lugs, as hereinafter mentioned, and the lugs are therefore spaced at proper distances depending upon the cloth to be woven. By taking out one set of spacer bars and putting in another set with differently spaced lugs, I can regulate the spacing of the warp wires.

In assembling a set of heddle dents, I first install the spacer bars in the heddle and then 5 drop over them the downwardly opening channel-shaped heddle dents 52. These are rigid metal members, and their ends receive the lugs 5| and rest thereon.

Each heddle dent has a slot 53 at the center of its top for the free passage of warp wire.

I preferably mount between the walls of each heddle dent below the slot 53 and adjacent the opposite ends thereof the metal sheaves or antifriction rollers 54 (Figures 1 and 2).

To hold the heddle dents in position where their ends straddle the lugs 5|, a locking strip 55 (Figures 2 and 4) is fastened to the frame member ll above each row of heddle dents, as by screws 55a.

In the structure here explained, I have provided a heddle structure which peculiarly adapts itself for use with a rolling shuttle type of loom. These heddles are long wearing, and can be easily removed from the loom for the changing of the heddle dents or the replacing or repairing of parts.

The heddles D are mounted for horizontal reciprocation and are operated in the following manner:

9 Suitable rollers 55b are mounted on the side frame members so that the flanges l5 of the upper heddle travel on them and also so as to cooperate with the flanges I3 of the lower heddle D. Below the lower heddle D to cooperate with the flanges l3 thereof, rollers 55s are mounted on the main frame members.

The reciprocating motion of the heddles necessary for forming the warp shed is imparted to them by mechanism which will now be described.

The heddle operating shaft 56 is journaled on the main frame members 15 rearwardly of the heddles.

The spaced levers 51 are fixed between their ends on the shaft 56. Links 58 are pivoted to the upper ends of the levers 5'! and to the upper heddle D. Similarly links 58a are pivoted to the lower ends of the levers 51 and to the lower heddle D.

Proper motion is imparted to the heddles by rocking the shaft 56. This rocking motion is transmitted to the shaft 56 from the shaft 59, which is journaled on the main frame. As show'n'in Figure 5 for example, there is fixed on the shaft 59, a cam 60, having a cam groove 60a.

5 in one face. A lever 6| has one end pivoted on the frame of the machine as at Ma. This lever carries intermediate its ends a roller 62, which travels in the cam groove 60a of the cam disc 60. At its opposite end, the lever BI is 60 pivoted to one end of a lever 62a. The other end of the lever 62a is pivoted to an arm 63, fixed on the shaft 56. As the shaft 59 rotates in proper synchronism with the general machine cycles, the lever 61, the link 62a and the arm 5 63 are reciprocated for rocking the shaft 56, and thus reciprocating the heddles D through the media of the links 58-58a.

In preparing for the operation of the machine and particularly of the heddles D, it will be understood that the warp wires are half of them threaded through the upper heddle dents and that the alternating warp wires are threaded through the lower heddle dents.

The reciprocating of the heddles forms the warp shed Il0a for the reciprocation of the shuttle.

The shuttle, preferably substantially of the kind shown in my issued patent, No. 1,890,008, is rolled transversely in the machine on the surface of the top heddle D for laying the weft wires.

The top heddle forms a roadway or supporting path for the shuttle, and is strong enough to stand the Wear and shock.

It will be observed that the heddle dents which take most of the wire are of very simple construction and can be conveniently and easily replaced for purposes of repair.

As has already been explained, new spacer bars 50 can be installed when desired. If these new bars have a different spacing of the lugs 5|, then when the heddle dents are assembled, there will be a new spacing thereof. This is necessary in making wire cloth with different numbers of warp wires.

Careful experiments with my improved heddles have shown that they are long wearing, sturdy and efficient.

They may be modified within the scope of my invention in some particulars, and any such possible modifications, I have endeavored to bring within the scope of my claims.

I claim:'

1. In a weaving machine of the kind described, a heddle comprising a substantially rectangular frame having spaced inwardly projecting lugs at its opposite sides and downwardly opening, channel-shaped heddle dents straddling said lugs, having openings permitting the passage of warp wires, and antifriction devices within the heddle dents for receiving between them the warp wires.

2. A heddle for a weaving loom, comprising a substantially rectangular frame, bars detachably secured inside of the frame provided with inwardly projecting lugs and downwardly opening channel-shaped heddle dents straddling said lugs.

3. A heddle for a weaving loom, comprising a substantially rectangular frame, bars detachably secured inside of the frame provided with inwardly projecting lugs and downwardly opening channel-shaped heddle dents straddling said lugs, said dents having openings therein, permitting the passage of warp wires.

4. A heddle for a weaving loom, comprising a substantially rectangular frame, bars detachably secured inside of the frame provided with inwardly projecting lugs and downwardly opening channel-shaped heddle dents straddling said lugs, and locking bars secured to the frames above the heddle dents for holding them in position.

5. In a heddle, a frame having inwardly projecting members at its ends, channel-shaped heddle dents straddling said members, having warp wire openings, and means for locking the heddle dents in place.

HERBERT L. THOMPSON. 

